Coleman nets hat trick, Miami (Ohio) wins NCHC

MINNEAPOLIS -- After nearly scaling the mountain last year, a Blake Coleman hat trick delivered No. 6 Miami (Ohio) some redemption as it topped St. Cloud State 3-2 in the National Collegiate Hockey Conference championship game on Saturday.

The RedHawks (25-13-1) claim their second conference title in school history and their first as a member of the NCHC.

Miami held a slim 21-20 advantage in shots on goal, yielding just four in the first period and five while nursing a one-goal lead in the third. The Huskies scored on one of five power plays, but the RedHawks killed their last four attempts, which included a five-minute major late in the second period.

Miami went 1-for-3 on the man advantage. In addition to Coleman’s hat trick, Barber dished out two assists to finish with another multi-point game.

Coleman was named the NCHC tournament MVP and he was joined by Czarnik and Belpedio on the NCHC All-Tournament Team. Williams stopped 18 of 20 shots to earn his third consecutive victory. Lindgren stopped 18 of 21 Miami attempts.